The Next Chapter
by ashleylynn167
Summary: After a year, Quistis is headmaster, Garden is stationary, and there is a new Garden near Edea's house. With everyone split apart, they must come together when Seifer returns, Rinoa joins him, and the fight against an evil sorceress will begin...again...
1. Chapter 1: Where are they now?

_**Disclaimer**: I don't own._

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_** The Next Chapter**_

_by: ashleylynn167_

**Chapter 1: Where are they now?**_  
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Quistis sighed looking up at Balamb Garden from the town of Balamb. She was in her SeeD uniform and had just come back from a mission in Trabia Garden. She looked up at the sky. It had been just one year since_ **they **_were last seen all together.

Zell, the only one Quistis still saw around, was coming back from the same mission and decided to go home to visit his mother and everyone else in town. He had been training very hard. When Quistis questioned him about it, he refused that it was because he made a promise to protect her.

Selphie was back in Trabia Garden to help with the final few repairs. No one knows if she's really there to stay, but that's the rumor that was floating around. Although that's what people think, others have reported that she felt a certain home sickness towards Balamb.

Irvine was in Trabia with Selphie for a few days, then went back to Galbadia Garden, which is no longer mobile (Balamb Garden is also stationary). Little did he know, he was put to work immediately and disciplined for missing and freezing up during another assassination mission.

Rinoa's whereabouts were a mystery until Balamb Garden had received a message from Edea, who was at her house, building a new Lenoa Garden (named after the Lenown Plains and Rinoa) to serve as an orphanage/Garden (the uniforms here are black and sky blue to honor Rinoa). Edea reported that Rinoa sometimes came to her old house to sit in the field of flowers. When asked what she was doing, Rinoa stood up, said that she was still waiting, and then ran off. The newly built Lenoa City was built outside of Lenoa Garden beside a vast forest in the middle of the Lenown Plains. A new train route was created between the continents and Lenoa City is becoming more and more filled with people.

Lenoa City was modeled after Timber with trains running right through the city. The Galbadian army was ordered to stay away from the city after they infiltrated Timber once again. Most of the residents of Timber moved to Lenoa City after being notified that the Galbadian army was order to take the city to build a new Missile Base. The train route to there were stopped and a new Missile Base was created. They are up and running.

Cid is now the Headmaster of Lenoa Garden, leaving a choice between Xu and Quistis as the new Headmaster of Balamb. Quistis took the job but continues to go on missions, no matter how dangerous, while Xu stays behind and gives orders until Quistis returned.

Squall was said to be staying in Esthar for a while with his father, Laguna, visiting Winhill now and then, just to see how things would be going there. A report from Laguna stated that Squall often took trips to Edea's house alone but usually only made it half way there because the person who he had been looking for was never there. He stated the person was 'supposed to wait there for him' but didn't. He also reported that Ellone was safe and had become a member of a Garden somewhere near the Lenown Plains.

Quistis smiled, remembering all the good times as she waited for Zell to leave his house.

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_**Author's End Note**__: Haven't decided on a title yet so some ideas would be helpful. I also haven't decided on pairing yet either so review opinions!_


	2. Chapter 2: Happy Reunions

**Chapter 2: Happy Reunions**

Zell stretched, leaving his house in Balamb. Waving through the window at his mother, he raced off to catch up to his old instructor. "Headmaster!" he called running up behind her. "Let's get back to Garden...oh yea an'...ma' says hi..." he said scratching his head.

Quistis bent over and held her stomach, chuckling. She stood up straight and nodded. "Let's go...but...please stop calling me headmaster...Quistis is fine."

Zell got into his fighting stance and practiced his jabs in the air. "Zell is fine too." he smirked. Quistis shook her head with and walked over to the passenger side of the car they had taken to Balamb. Zell performed a double back handspring. "OHHHHH YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH! I DRIVE!" Zell yelled happily getting into the drivers seat and speeding off towards Garden.

Zell pulled into the parking lot and park the truck. He got out and stretched. Quistis got out the passenger side and held her stomach. "Ugh..." she moaned. "Next time...maybe I should drive." Zell chuckled nervously and ran into Garden, followed by Quistis who took a large box out of the truck.

"So uh...Quistis...do we make a report...or...something...?"

"As Headmaster, I would recieve the report...but since I accompanied you on this mission I already know the report...so take this box," she said straining to lift it and shoving it into Zell's arms, "to the library." she finished. She pushed hair behind her ear and stretched. "Tell the girl at the counter that these books are the first quarter of the new shipment...okay?"

"Yea, yea...I gotchya..."

"Good. Thank you, Zell. I will make an announcement if I need anything else...and don't hesitate to come see me if you get bored. Garden is stocking up on many different missions from all over..." Quistis said walking down the hall and a group of two girls and one boy waved at her. She waved back. "Good afternoon." she said as she walked by.

"Headmaster Trepe is the best!" the boy said.

"The greatest!" one of the girls agreed.

Zell rolled his eyes, sighed, and walked into the library. He scanned the room quickly. No one was behind the desk and the library was empty except for one girl with a pigtail at the bookcase standing on a chair and trying to place a book on a high shelf. Zell put the box on the counter and walked over to the girl. _'I remember her...'_ he thought to himself, walking over.

"Almost got i-" the chair started to tip over. "Oh...oh no..." she said as it was swept from under her feet. Zell caught her as she fell, then caught the book and placed it in the spot she had cleared for it. "O-oh...Z-Zell..."

"You okay?" he asked setting her down on her feet.

"Uh...y-yeah...thanks to you...th-thank you..."

"No prob..." he said walking over to the counter. He put his hand on the box and turned to the girl. "Yer on the library committee, right? Well Headmaster Trepe said to give this to you and say that...it's...the...first ship...of the quarter...new...waffle?" he asked himself, not being able to remember.

"Uh...the f-first quarter of the new shipment?" she corrected. "Wow...thank you...I didn't think they were actually starting to fulfill the requests! How exciting?" she said taking the box to the back.

"...yea...I'm not really the readin' type..." Zell laughed nervously.

"You're not such a good messenger either, ZELL!!" Selphie laughed, entering the library in a Trabia Garden SeeD candidate uniform.

"Selphie?" Zell asked walking over to her. "What're you doin' here?"

"Delivering a message, OF COURSE! And I'm also here to check out the Garden Festival. I heard that more students have taken an interest in it."

"...so...yer really stayin' at Trabia?" Zell asked looking at her up and down in the SeeD uniform.

"NO WAY!" Selphie reassured. "Trabia may be where I grew up but Balamb is where I'm staying." she smiled. "I just stood until the repairs where officially complete. That's the message I had to deliver...I just had to wear these clothes so the new headmaster here knows the message is official..." Selphie looked around. "So...who is the new headmaster?"

"Wait, you don't know? Its Quistis!"

"NO WAY! SERIOUSLY?! THAT'S SO COOL! I knew she was cut out to be an instructor! I don't know why she was so put down before..."

"Yea...well she's on the third floor...in the Headmasters room of course. Xu also has an office next to Quistis's so be sure you get the right one."

"Zell?" called the girl with the pigtail. She ran behind the counter and looked through some papers. "I...I heard you were off to s-see the Headmaster...so um...I was wondering if...if you could run these up to her." she asked holding out a few papers. Zell took them and she smiled. "Thanks...t-tell her that those are a-a-few pages of the n-new requests...oh...and a-also...tell her n-not to worry b-because a lot of them...are...are j-just r-rep-peated..."

"No sweat!"

"You stick to the delivery...I'm give her the message...you're terrible at it...tee hee." Selphie said running off.

"That's not funny!" Zell yelled back, running after her.

The girl with the pigtail sighed and her two friends came in. "I just saw Zell run out of here! So did you guys talk?" ask the one with the ponytail.

"Who was the girl he was running after?" the girl with short hair asked.

"Um...she's a messenger...she came to give him a message...after I fell off the chair over there..."

"Wow that's a long fall..."

"Are you okay?"

"Did it hurt?"

"Not at all...Zell caught me before I could hit the ground."

"Wow..."

"No way!"

"You're getting closer!"

The girl with the pigtail laughed.

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_**Author's End Note**__: Sill haven't decided on a title...or pairings either...so review!_


	3. Chapter 3: A Small Problem

**Chapter 3: A Small Problem**

Selphie ran down the halls quickly following the circular shape to the halls until reaching the stairs that led to the elevator. She ran up the stairs as quickly as she could, one step at a time. "Hurry up!" she yelled back.

Zell turned the corner, heading up the stairs, skipping two with every step. Selphie hit the bottom for the third floor and tried to catch her breath, looking back to see if Zell was their. He was no where in sight. As the doors almost closed, he cut right through the middle and fell.

Selphie stood above him, pointing and laughing. "That...wasn't...cool!" Zell said trying to catch his breath. He reached up to grab the railing and pulled himself up. Seeing him straining slightly, Selphie grabbed his arm and gave him a little push upward. "Thanks..." he smiled, looking into her eyes. She stared back, not letting go of his arm.

"You're...you're welcome...Zell..." Everything was silent. Zell leaned in closer to her slowly and Selphie's eyes shifted from his left to his right eyes quickly, leaning in with him.

The elevator doors shot open and Xu was standing right in front of them. The both of them shifted quickly to Xu and Selphie let go of Zell's arm, running out of the cramped elevator. Xu shook her head and walked into it slowly as Zell walked out. "No making out in the elevators please!" she said waving as the elevator doors shut quickly and shot her downstairs, but not before the two SeeD members turned bright red.

"Um...that never leaves the elevator..." Selphie said heading towards Quistis's office.

"Why not?" Zell asked just standing there.

Selphie stop right at the door with her hand on the handle. "Irvine would freak..." she said opening the door quickly, disappearing into the office.

Zell winced. "Irvine...why would he...hold on a sec! You're..." he said, running in after her. "You're actually DATING that guy?"

"Yes!"

"What is wrong with you?"

"Can we drop this?"

"Did he drug you?"

"NO!!"

"You're first day back and you're already causing riots?" Quistis asked moving around some papers on her desk. Selphie turned to her and gave a nervous smile, as did Zell.

"Sorry!" Selphie started. "I'm so happy for you! HEADMASTER?? That is such good news! Congrats!"

"Thank you. Will you be joining us or-"

"Or?! NO ORS!! I'M STAYING!! Everything's done and I'm here to STAY!!"

"I heard about you and Irvine. Congratulations to you, too."

"Uh..." Selphie glanced at Zell out of the corner of her eye. He had a frustrated look on his face. "...thank you...it's going great...really great..."

"And to think just last year he creeped you out." Zell said walking up to the desk and handing Quistis the papers in his hands. Quistis, who was sitting on her desk, skimmed through the papers.

"What are these?" she asked, looking back up at Zell.

"I'm not a messenger, I just deliver 'em..." he said in a less sarcastic then usual voice.

"Those are the new requests from the library."

"This many?"

"Chillax! A lot of them are repeated."

Zell sighed and turned.

"Also, I was sent to report that the repairs of Trabia Garden are complete. If you didn't hear me the first time..." Selphie half smiled.

"Oh, right...okay good..." she turned to Zell's gloomy face. "Are you okay, Zell?" Quistis asked when he started walking towards to door.

"Fine." he said leaving.

Selphie started to follow, thought twice and stepped back. She saluted to Quistis quickly, then followed Zell. The office doors shut behind her and Quistis stared on with a confused gaze on her face. "Zell!"

He stopped but didn't turn, pressing the bottom to call the elevator. "Yeah?"

"I thought Squall was the GLOOMY ONE!"

"Well he's not here." he said as the elevator doors open. "So I guess it's my gloomy day." He started to walk in and Selphie grabbed a hold of his shoulder.

"We have to talk about what happened!"

"Nothing happened." he said pulling his shoulder away and entering the elevator. "Remember? It stays in here?" The doors shut in Selphie's face and the elevator quickly shot down to the first floor.


End file.
